Corn-popper.



C. G-RETORS.

CORN POPPBR.

APPLIOATION FILED 1330413, 1911.

ylaten'ced Mar. 24, 1914 C; GRETORS.

CORN POPPBR.

APPLIGATION FILED 1120.13, 1911.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ave r r1' Zqfe @655715,

/MAMV' TED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

CHARLES CRE'IORS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CORN-POPPER.

inermi.

To all whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES CREToRs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook, State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCorn-Poppers, of which the following is a specification.

rI`his invention relates to that class of corn popping apparatus inwhich the popped corn is discharged as fast as the same has beenproperly popped. And the present improvement has for its object toprovide a simple and' efficient structural formation and combination ofparts, whereby the corn as fast as popped is removed from the heatedpopping Zone of the apparatus, and after being separated from theunpopped material is discharged in a continuous and effective mannerinto a suitable receptacle, all as will hereinafter more fully appear. y

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a longitudinal section online zicx, Fig.

2, of an apparatus embodying the presentV invention. Fig. 2, is a rearend elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail longitudinalsection of the connection between the sections of the spiral conveyerand its carrying sleeve and shaft. transverse section of the same online @aL-', Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hollow supporting shell,constituting the supporting base of the apparatus, and inclosing aburner 2 of any ordinary form, preferably a gas burner as shown.

3 is an annular casing pivotally secured in the manner hereinafterdescribed, to the top of the shell 1 and opening into the same, in orderto receive the heated products of combustion from the said shell 1 andthe burner 2 contained therein. Said annular casing 3 is formed withmarginal end heads 3, the central portions of which are open andoccupied by the rotary popping cylin der or vessel hereinafterdescribed, and said openings are made of greater diameter than thepopping cylinder so as to provide an an nular space between the partsfor the escape of the waste products of combustion.

In the preferred construction shown the abutting margins of the shell 1and casing 3 are provided with reinforcing strips or bars l and 3, andthese in turn carry open side hinge knuckles 4, at front and rear, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1911.

Fig. 4, is ardetail Patented Mar. 24,1914.

Serial No. 665,500.

adapted to permit the bodily removal of the ca sing 3 and partscarriedthereby; to permit a forward tilting of the casing and parts ineffecting a discharge of the material left after the popping operation,and to permit a rearward tiltingof the casing and parts in introducing afresh charge of co-rn into the apparatus. f f

5 is a pedestal, preferably secured to the reinforcing bar 3l at therear end of thel casing 3 of the apparatus, and provided at its upperend with a fixed and forwardly extending bearing sleeveG, the centralbore, as well as the periphery of which are adapted to provide bearingsforthe hereinafter described parts of the popping vessel andV spiralconveyer of the apparatus.

7 is the main body of thepoppingcylinder o-r vessel, and which is madeopen at its forward end, and closed at its rear end by a cup-shaped head8, which inV turn is attached through a bevel gear wheel 9 to alongitudinal bearing sleeve 10 which fits and turns upon the beforedescribed fixed sleeve 6, and provides the requisite support for thepopping cylinder or vessel 7, in its revolution.

11 is a secondary pedestal, preferably secured to the aforesaidreinforcing bar 3 of 'the shell 3, and provided at top with a bearingfor a driving countershaft 12, carrying `a bevel pinion 13, adapted tomesh with and drive the aforesaid bevel gear 9, and the `poppingcylinder or vessel 7, to which the gear 9 is fastened. Motion may beimparted to the countershaft 12, by hand or power as found mostdesirable.

14 is a disk secured to the rear end of the cylinder or vessel 7, andhaving a greater diameter than that of the rear opening of the annularcasing 3, and having adjacent relation thereto, so as to form a baffleand prevent too free outlet of the waste products of combustion at therear end of the apparatus.

15 is a truncated cone shaped casing fitting the forward open end of thepopping cylinder or vessel 7, and open at its forward end for the freeoutlet of the popped corn.

16 is a spider secured to the forward end of the aforesaid casing 15 andhaving a central hub adapted to have bearing upon the forward end of theconveyer carrying shaft, now to be described. y

17 is a shaft extending the entire length of the apparatus and havingjournal bearing in the bore of the before described fixed bearing sleeve6 of the pedestal 5. At its rear end the shaft 17 is provided with abevel gear wheel 18, which is operatively engaged and driven by a bevelpinion 19 on the countershaft 12, aforesaid.

In'the preferred form of the present invention, the pairs of gears 9 and13, and pairs of gears 18 and 19, are relatively proportioned, so thatthe latter will impart a slower'V rotation to the conveyer carryingshaft 17, than is imparted to the popping cylinder or vessel`7 bythe'first mentioned pair of gears, as it has been found from extendedpractical experiment that a relatively kslow rotation of the conveyerand a more rapid rotation of the popping cylinder, affords the bestresults in the output as well as in the quality of the goods.

20`is the spiral conveyer above referred to, and which is preferablymade in three sections for convenience in manufacture, and

subsequent replacement, when worn or ac-v cidentally damaged; The twoforward sections of the conveyor have central longitudinal hubs by whichthey are mounted directly upon and secured to the forward portion of theshaft 17 aforesaid, while the rear section of the conveyor also has acentral hub 21,'the bearing orifice of which turns upon the bearingsleeve 10 of the popping' cylinder or vessel 7, and has detachabledriving engagement with a collar 2Q, fixed on the shaft 17, and saiddetachable engagement is preferably eiected by a removable key or spline23, engaging in a peripheral recess in y an annular rim on the collar 22aforesaid.

In the preferred form of the apparatus, the conveyer 20, is made of asmaller diameter than that of the vessel 7 and extension 15, with a viewto provide a clearance space between the parts and permit the returnpassage of the unpopped corn back into the popping chamber for furthertreatment, while the popped corn is. discharged by the conveyer throughthe forward and open v end of the aforesaid extension 15.

24 are a series of perforations formed in the spiral conveyer 20, nearthe outer margin of the same, and adapted to provide supplementaryreturn passages through which the unpopped corn, etc., carried forwardby the conveyer, may return to the popping chamber fo-r furthertreatment. In the preferred form of the Vpresent invention, the seriesof perforations 2&1-, are only formeel in the central section of theconveyer, as such arrangement-has been found by extended experiment toafford very efficient results.

25 is a longitudinal wing extending rearwardly from the rear section ofthe conveyer 20, and adapted to act as a stirrer for the material duringthe operation of the appation involves the arrangement of the poppingcylinder, the spiral conveyer and their immediate accessories, in aposition inclined from a horizontal plane, and with the discharge end ofthe truncated cone shape casing 15 at the highest point of elevation.With such arrangement the operation of the spiral conveyer 20, in movingthe popped corn toward the discharge end of the apparat-us, acts againstthe tendency of the material to return to the popping chamber bygravity, and such tendency to return is materially increased by theupwardly inclined lower side of the casing 15, heretofore described, andin consequence a very etlective separation of the popped corn from theunpopped corn, etc., is effected in the movement of the material to thedischarge outlet of the apparatus.

In the operation of the apparatus, a quantity of unpopped corn is placed.in the popping vessel 7, and settles by gravity into the lower portionof said vessel, immediately above the burner Q, and into the heated Zoneof the apparatus. lith apparatus in motion, the popping vessel 7receives a fast rotation and the spiral conveyer Q0, a Slow rotation,both in the .same direction, through the intermediate driving mechanismsheretofore described in detail. As a result the material receives aconstant, and efficient stirring action, so that any liability tocharring of the corn is prevented, and the popped corn, as fast asformed is taken by the conveyer 20, and discharged from the apparatus.

Having thus fully described my said invention what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesselhaving a closed rear end and an open forward end, a revoluble spiralsupported longitudinally in said vessel, there being a clearance betweenthe inner wall of the poppingvessel and the perimeter of the spiralslightly greater than that necessary to allow the unpopped corn toremain as the popped corn is discharged from the apparatus by saidspiral, a stationary casing inclosing the popping vessel, a heaterdisposed in said casing, and means for imparting rotation to the poppingvessel and to the spiral.

2. In a popper, the combination of a rev oluble popping vessel closed atits rear end, a forward extension on said vessel of a truncated coneform and open at its forward end, a revoluble spiral supportedlongitudinally in said vessel and extension, there being a clearancebetween the inner wall of the popping vessel and the perimeter of thespiral slightly greater than that necessary to allow the unpopped cornto remain as the popped corn is discharged from the apparatus by saidspiral, a stationary casing inclosing the popping vessel, a heaterdisposed in said casing, and means for imparting rotation to the poppingvessel and to the spiral. Y

3. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesseldisposed on an inclined plane and having a closed lower end and an openupper end, a revoluble spiral supported longitudinally in said vessel,there being a clearance between the inner wall of the popping vessel andthe perimeter of the spiral slightly greater than that necessary toallow the unpopped corn to pass back as the popped corn is dischargedfromv the apparatus by said spiral, a stationary casing inclosing thepopping vessel, a heater disposed in said casing, and means for'imparting rotation to the popping vessel and to the spiral. y

4E. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesseldisposed on an inclined plane and having a closed lower end, a forwardextension on said vessel of a truncated form and open at its `upper end,a revoluble spiral supported longitudinally in said vessel, there beinga clearance between the inner wall of the popping Vessel and theperimeter of the spiral slightly greater than that necessary to allowthe unpopped corn to pass baclr as the popped corn is discharged fromthe apparatus by said spiral, a stationary casing inclosing said poppingvessel, a heater disposed in said casing, and means for impartingrotation to the popping vessel and to the spiral.

5. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesselhaving a closed rear end and an open forward end, a revoluble spiralsupported longitudinally in said vessel, there being a clearance betweenthe inner wall of the popping vessel and the perimeter of the spiralslightly greater than that necessary to allow the unpopped corn toremain as the popped corn is discharged from the apparatus by saidspiral, a stationary casing inclosing the popping vessel, a heaterdisposed in said casing, and means for imparting differential rotationto the popping vessel and to the spiral.

6. In a corn pepper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesselclosed at its rear end, a forward extension on said vessel 0f atruncated cone form and open at its forward end, a revoluble spiralsupported longitudinally in said vessel and extension, there being aclearance between the inner wall of the popping vessel and the perimeterof the spiral slightly greater than that necessary to allow the unpoppedcorn to remain as the popped corn is discharged from the apparatus, bysaid spiral, a stationary casing inclosing the popping-vessel, a heaterdisposed in said casing, and means for imparting differential rotationto the popping ves sel and to the spiral.

7. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesseldisposed on an inclined plane and having a closed lower end and an openupper end, a revoluble spiral supported longitudinally in said vessel,there being a clearance between the inner wall of the popping vessel andthe perimeter of the spiral slightly greater than that necessary toallow the unpopped corn to pass back as the popped corn is dischargedfrom the apparatus by said spiral, a stationary casing inclosing thepopping vessel, a heater disposed in said casing, and means forimparting dierential rotation to the popping vessel and to the spiral.

8. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesseldisposed on an inclinedplane and having a closed lower end,

`a forward extension on said vessel of a truncated cone form and open atits upper end, 85

a revoluble spiral supported longitudinally in said vessel, there beinga clearance between the inner wall of the popping vessel and theperimeter of the spiral slightly greater than that necessary to allowthe unpopped corn to pass back as the popped corn is discharged from theapparatus by said. spiral, a stationary casing inclosing said poppingvessel, a heater disposed in said casing, and means for impartingdifferential rotation to the popping vessel and to the spiral.

9. In an apparatus for popping corn, the combination of a popping vesselclosed at its rear end, a spiral conveyer arranged longitudinally insaid vessel and having a longitudinally extending stirring blade at itsrear end, a heater casing inclosing said vessel, a heater arranged insaid casing, means for supporting the popping vessel and conveyer inoperative relation, and means for imparting rotation to the poppingvessel and to the spiral conveyer.

10. In an apparatus for popping corn, the combination of a poppingvessel closed at one end and open at the other, a forward eX- tension onsaid vessel of a truncated cone form and open at its forward end, aspiral conveyer arranged longitudinally in said vessel and extension andhaving a longitudinally extending stirring blade at its rear end, aheater casing inclosing said vessel, a heater arranged in said casing,means for supporting the popping vessel and conveyer in operativerelation, and means for imparting rotation to the popping vessel andspiral conveyer.

1l. In a corn popper, the combination of a revoluble popping vesselhaving a closed rear end and an open forward end, a revoluble spiralsupported longitudinally in said vessel and its periphery disposed inadjacent relation t0 the inner wall of said vessel and adapted to act asa discharging conveyer for the popped corn and as a stirrer for theunpopped corn contained in the rear portion of said vessel, the saidspiral having a series of perforations near its margin to afford freeretrograde movement of the unpopped corn, a stationary casing inclosingthe popping vessel, a heater disposed in said casing, and means Jforimparting rotation to the popping vessel and to the spiral;

12. In a corn popper, the combination of a revolulole popping vesselclosed at its rear end, a forward extension on said vessel of atruncated cone form and open at its forward end, a revolulole spiralsupported longitudinally in said vessel and extension with its peripherydisposed inv adjacent relation to the in'ner Wall of said vessel andextension and adapted to act asa discharging conveyer for the poppedcorn and as a stirrer for the unpopped corn contained in the rearportion of said vessel, the said spiral having a series of perforationsnear its margin to afford free retrograde movement to the unpopped corn,a stationary casing inclosing said popping'vessel, a heater disposed insaid casing, and means for imparting rotation to said popping vessel andto the spiral.

13. In an apparatus for popping corn, the combination of a poppingvessel, a spiral conveyer arranged longitudinally in said vessel, aheater casing inclosing said vessel and having an annular marginal rearend head, a battle disk carried by the popping vessel in adjacentrelation to said rear end head, a heater arranged in said casing, meansfor supporting the popping vessel Yand conveyor' in operative relation,and

means for imparting rotation to the popping vessel and to the spiralconveyor.

14:. In an apparatus for popping corn, the combination of a hollowsupporting base, a burner contained in said base, an annular casingcommunicating with said base and pivotally attached thereto, a poppingvessel open at one end and closed at the other arranged within saidannular casing, a spiral conveyer arranged in said popping vessel, meanscarried by said annular casing for supporting the popping vessel andconveyor in operative relation, and means for impart` ing rotation tothe popping vessel and to the spiral conveyer.

15. In an appartus for popping corn, the combination of a hollowsupporting base, a burner contained in said hase, an annular casingcommunicating with said base and pivotally attached thereto, by frontand rear open side pivot knuckles, a popping vessel open at one end andclosed at the other arranged within said annular casing, a spiralconveyer arranged in said popping vessel, means carried by said annularcasing for supporting the popping vessel and conveyor in operativerelation, and means for imparting rotation to the popping vessel and tothe spiral conveyer.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 11th day of December, 1911.

CHARLES CRETORS.

lVitnesses ROBERT BURNS, HENRY Mon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Yatents.

' Washington, D. C.

